FARMINGTON — A Livermore Falls man pleaded guilty Tuesday to breaking into a Jay pharmacy in July 2010 and stealing drugs.

Lucas Caron, 20, changed his plea to a felony charge of burglary and misdemeanor stealing drugs from Spruce Mountain Pharmacy.

Justice Michaela Murphy sentenced Caron to serve 45 days of a two-year sentence and two years probation.

Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said if the case went to trial, witnesses would have testified that the drive-up window to the pharmacy was broken on July 24 and more than 1,000 Clonazepam pills, an anti-convulsion, anti-anxiety drug were stolen. The pills had a value of $4,000, he said.

Jay police would also have testified that a security video taken during the break-in was released to the media and tips came in naming Caron as the suspect shown in the video, Andrews said.

Police would testify they went to his home and Caron admitted to taking the drugs and showed police where the pills were buried, Andrews said. He also told them that the window was broken with a rock, he said.

There is some discrepancy between the state and the defense that 500 pills were recovered but not all were returned, Andrews said.

“I returned all the pills,” Caron said.

Caron has no record, both Andrews and defense attorney Peter Kaynor said.

Andrews asked the court to sentence Caron to two years with all but 60 days suspended and two years probation. He also asked that Caron pay $1,278 in restitution.

Andrews said that Caron stole the pills in an effort to sell them.

It is this type of action that is causing untold misery in the state of Maine, Andrews said.

Kaynor said this was Caron’s first offense, his first felony and his first time facing jail. He asked that Caron serve less than 60 days. He also asked that Caron get a stay of execution until Feb. 22 so that he can care for a 3-year-old child whose mother is in the hospital.

Justice Murphy said she appreciated the state’s concern about the prescription drug situation.

She told Caron that he needs to be employed in an “honest way.”

She asked him if he had a drug problem.

Caron said he didn’t. He was just looking for a way to make money, he said.

She lowered the time to be served to 45 days in recognition that Caron took responsibility for his actions, Murphy said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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